Tactic

What Is a Skewer in Chess?

A skewer attacks a valuable piece so that when it moves away, a less valuable piece behind it is captured.

Definition

A skewer is a pin in reverse. Instead of the valuable piece hiding behind, it is in front: you attack it, it is forced to move, and you capture whatever was sheltering behind it. Like pins, skewers are only created by bishops, rooks and queens, because they work along lines. Skewers involving a check are the deadliest — the king must move, so the piece behind is simply lost.

Example

Black's king is on g8 and a rook sits on g5, both on the g-file. White plays Rg1, giving check along the file. The king must step aside, and White takes the rook on g5 next move.

How to spot it

  • Look for a king or queen with a lesser piece behind it on the same line.
  • Skewers with check are forcing — the opponent has no choice at all.
  • After trades open a file or diagonal, scan it for skewer geometry.
  • Endgames with few pieces are full of skewers, especially rook against king and pawn.

The mistake most players make

Confusing the skewer with the pin. In a pin the valuable piece is behind; in a skewer it is in front. If you mix them up you will misjudge which piece is actually stuck.

Frequently asked questions

What is a skewer in chess?

A skewer is a tactic where you attack a valuable piece and, when it moves out of the way, capture the less valuable piece that was behind it on the same line. It is sometimes called a thrust or an X-ray attack.

What is the difference between a pin and a skewer?

It comes down to which piece is in front. In a pin the less valuable piece is in front and cannot move because something valuable sits behind it. In a skewer the valuable piece is in front and is forced to move, exposing what was behind it.

Related terms

  • Pin — A pin is when a piece cannot move without exposing a more valuable piece behind it on the same line.
  • Fork — A fork is a single piece attacking two or more enemy pieces at the same time, so the opponent can only save one.
  • Discovered attack — A discovered attack is when moving one piece unveils an attack from a long-range piece behind it.

Practise this pattern

Definitions stick once you have seen the pattern in a real game. Solve tactics puzzles to train recognition, review one of your games to find where it came up, or ask the coach to explain it in a position you are looking at.